Understanding Point of View in Literature
Literature provides a lens through which readers look at the world. Point of view is the way the author allows you to "see" and "hear" what's going on. Skillful authors can fix their readers' attention [more…]
Understanding Diction and Tone in Literature
"Dearest reader, I humbly entreat you to eschew the latest celebrity tittle-tattle and instead devote your attention to diction and tone." Does that request sound funny to you? Maybe this sounds a bit [more…]
A War with Words: The Role of Conflict in Literature
Conflict is essential to fiction, and so even a short passage for the AP English Literature exam generally depicts at least one instance of unrest. A character's approach to the conflict, as well as its [more…]
Exploring the Diverse Lands of Middle-earth
You may well wonder why it's important at all to locate Middle-earth in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Does it really matter whether Middle-earth is a future world in another galaxy or a Europe long [more…]
Examining the Battle of Good vs. Evil in Tolkien's Middle-earth
Tolkien was clear in the stories of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings that the struggle between good and evil is never-ending. No sooner did the Valar vanquish Melkor than Sauron emerged in Middle-earth [more…]
Concerning the Nature of Hobbits in Tolkien's Middle-earth
Tolkien seems to have regarded the Elves as his favorite creatures of Middle-earth, but most of his readers seem to be hobbit-lovers at heart. They find hobbits to be the most likeable and also to be the [more…]
Considering an AP English Literature and Composition Class
Whether or not to enroll in that AP English Literature and Composition class can be a difficult decision. An AP English class can be a lot of work, but it can yield great rewards. Here is some information [more…]
Examining Frodo as the Unwitting Hero of Tolkien's Middle-earth
Frodo Baggins, the main character of The Lord of the Rings, becomes its unwitting hero when he's adopted by Bilbo Baggins (his cousin, but known affectionately as [more…]
Understanding Tolkien as a Linguist
Dictionaries define a linguist as a person who is accomplished in languages, especially someone who speaks several languages. By this definition, Tolkien was a consummate linguist, having learned more [more…]
